Merrimack Valley district begins superintendent search

BOSCAWEN — As part of what district officials are calling a “Search for a New Leader,” the Merrimack Valley and Andover school boards have begun looking for a new superintendent of schools.

This school year is the last for current Superintendent Mike Martin, who is retiring after serving 13 years in the district.

District officials, who are being aided by the New Hampshire School Boards Association in their search, will take public input at meetings in each district town —Andover, Boscawen, Loudon, Penacook, Salisbury and Webster — in coming weeks.

The first meeting is scheduled for Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. at Merrimack Valley High School in Penacook.

Meetings for the remaining communities will be announced after Sept. 5, officials said.

The meetings are designed to supplement the association’s recommended search criteria with ideas from residents on the qualities and attributes of a school superintendent, said Assistant Superintendent Chris Barry.

“This is an important process and the hope is to involve many community members,” Barry said. “It takes a long time to find a good superintendent.”

The school boards association has advised the district to spend adequate time developing a leadership profile for the next superintendent. It also said the pool of quality candidates is “shallow,” and told the school board it needs to market the school district effectively.

Martin has been working under a part-time contract that paid him $77.05 an hour.